Picking Up The Pieces
by Gina1982
Summary: My season 6, nobody is fully together to start this one off. Not sure what will happen to TiBette or my fav's Talice considering the mess that was made in 5x12 of Talice.
1. Chapter 1

Picking Up the Pieces by Gina

**Picking Up the Pieces by Gina**

**Rating**: R

**Pairing**: ??

**Feedback**: Yes please

**Distribution**: please ask first

**Disclaimer**: I do not own or make any money from the stories that I write. All characters that I create are mine and may not be used without my permission, like anyone would want to use my characters.

**Summary**: My take on how season 6 should go for some of the characters.

Notes: T/B are not fully together and their shippers may or may not like me depending on if I bring them back together. Talice is my favorite couple so they will be a big part of the story. Your feedback will help me hook the couples up.

Chapter 1

**Kit is standing in the Planet in the middle of the day. Everything has gone right for her since Helena came back to town and did a few things. She Bought double D's club out from under her, stole Cindy away from her and regained ownership of the Planet for her. Tina and Bette were on their way back together and in that area. She only wished that the same could be said for her other friends. Jenny had gone off the deep end, yet again, after what Shane and Nikki did to her. Max was a little off-center because Tom chose to leave with Jodi, who Kit was glad to see gone after what she did to Bette. Granted, Bette cheated on her but public humiliation was no way to get revenge. Then there was Alice, Kit wished she knew what happened to her and missed Tasha greatly.**

"**Hey Kit," a familiar voice said that caused Kit to smile broadly.**

"**Girl where the hell have you been?" Kit raced around the counter and hugged Tasha, who stood there in a police uniform.**

"**It was best for me to go." Tasha said and returned the hug with a stoic look on her face. "I knew that she was trying to push me away for some fucked up reason and I tried to hang but a person can only take so many hints."**

"**Oh I hear ya girl." Kit said and handed Tasha a cool drink as Helena walked in. "She claims that the two of you are too different?"**

"**Tasha oh my goodness!" Helena exclaimed and hugged the woman.**

"**Hey," was Tasha's response as she moved away from Helena. "Yeah I guess that's the reason." She then said to Kit.**

"**I was so hoping that Alice would come to her senses but then you stopped calling." Helena said sadly as Jenny came trouncing in.**

"**My goodness, you decided to come back to our side of town." Jenny said and smiled. "Have you and Alice made up?"**

"**Naw," Tasha said and finished her drink. She had clearly come to say hello to Kit and not expected all of this attention. From Helena's statement, Tasha gathered that Alice did not tell anyone that she still sent her a text message now and then with no response. She knew that she shouldn't contact her at all, but something pushed her onward to at least let Alice know that she still thought of her.**

"**Good then, can I buy you lunch?" Jenny asked with hopes of redeeming her dating life in some fashion. She had always found the former Captain attractive and thought that Alice was stupid to push her away as she did.**

"**Na I don't think so but thanks." Tasha replied and stood back up.**

"**Tasha," Kit spoke quickly. "Gimme yo number and we can chill sometime. I thought we got to be good friends and I missed that laugh."**

"**Ight," Tasha said, scribbled down the number and headed for the door.**

"**C'mon Tasha, we all thought you were a great person. Have some dinner with me." Jenny prodded further and got a glaring look from Helena in return.**

"**Stifle it Jen honey, she and I got on much better then you and I did." Helena said, smiled and then offered dinner to the officer.**

"**Y'all pipe down, maybe she has someone and doesn't want to get into trouble." Kit added, she, after all, knew how to find out such things.**

"**Na," Tasha responded and opened the door to go.**

"**Girl, you better get yo black ass back in here very soon!" Kit called and smiled as Tasha left.**

"**She's hard to get anything out of," Helena commented. "I still can't believe what happened."**

"**I can," Jenny added and sat down with her meal. "Alice and relationships don't exactly mesh."**

"**Who are you to speak on relationships?" Tina added to the conversation as she sat down. "Has anyone seen Alice?"**

"**Yeah I saw her at the other bar a couple of nights ago drunk off her ass." Jenny added and scooted her chair over to give Tina room. "Tasha was in here is why we're all discussing her."**

"**Tasha, oh how is she?" Tina asked with a smile.**

"**Alice was drunk and you didn't bother to aid her in some fashion?" Helena asked with a concerned look on her face.**

"**She's never bothered to aid me," Jenny said and handed Tina a tablet. "This is the rough copy of the first five chapters of the new book."**

"**Oh brother," Kit exclaimed with sarcasm written all over her face.**

"**Heaven help us all," Helena added and stood up. "I've got to go meet Cindy for an afternoon desert." She grinned and left the club.**

**Later that night, most of the group of friends was at the club, some not talking but there nevertheless. "Tina, what is goin' on here?" Kit asked as she saw her with no Bette again.**

"**Jodi had Bette on a string. She's moved away but Bette still calls her and made plans to go visit. I can't deal with it." Tina said sarcastically. "Now Helena is," Tina didn't have to finish because Bette walked in with Helena.**

"**She still doin' this when y'all fight? Where's Cindy? Why the hell would she call Jodi after what Jodi did to her? Somethin' not right here girl." Kit spoke with concern and frustration in her voice.**

"**Who the fuck knows," Tina said in a harsh manner but gave Kit an apologetic look.**

"**Maybe you should go over and talk to Tasha. I mean, as a friend of course. She's good with this negotiation stuff." Kit motioned towards Tasha who was sitting alone at a corner table watching the chaos.**

**Tasha glanced up at Kit as someone walked up to the table. "May I sit?" Phyllis asked, clearly feeling out of place.**

**Sure," Tasha said as her old friend, Papi walked in and smiled at Kit.**

"**I just wanted to say that I am sorry how things turned out for you and Alice. I thought the two of you were the real deal." Phyllis said sympathetically.**

"**Yeah me too," Tasha said and looked at the door.**

"**What exactly happened?" Phyllis questioned and shrugged at Jenny Schecter, who was smiling at the former Captain.**

"**Ask Alice," Tasha said and started to stand. She wasn't into neither drama nor gossip and that was clearly what Phyllis was trying to do.**

"**That's just it Tasha," Phyllis said with a concerned look on her face. "Alice has pushed us all away, even Bette and Tina."**

"**It looks like those two need more help then I do." Tasha said and pointed at Bette, as Cindy came in. "Nice chattin' with ya," she added and got up from the table.**

"**Hey Tasha," Jenny got up from where Shane was trying another apology. "Can I buy you a drink?"**

"**Na, I'm not getting' in your drama." She continued walking as Max walked up to Jenny with a drink. "Hey Kit, I'm gon shove off now. Nice seein' ya again."**

"**What you mean, c'mon and have some fun. I'm stickin' my neck out here again and want you to watch the fun." Papi said and smiled at Kit. "I'm thinkin' that maybe it was too soon to try the first time."**

"**Whatever Papi," Tasha said and laughed heartily. "What's up over there Tina?" She asked and sat down by the producer.**

"**I'm hoping that Helena is trying to talk some sense into her for me but…" Tina trailed off knowing that the two of them had a brief history.**

"**Y'all are crazy man," Tasha added and accepted the drink that Tina bought her.**

"**I'm beginning to think that you are right," Tina admitted with a heavy sigh. "This isn't exactly how I pictured the lesbian community to be. One would think that someone could have a good relationship out of the group of us.**

"**I hear that," Tasha echoed and finished her drink.**

"**Tasha, poker at Helena's tomorrow night, 8:30." Papi interjected into their conversation and then turned back to Kit.**

"**You think she will ever grow up?" Tina asked in an amused tone of voice.**

"**If she can convince Kit that she's on the girls team she might." Tasha added with a small chuckle as she followed Shane's gaze to the window. "Alice's here, I'm gon take off now."**

"**Hey, can I get your number? Maybe we can do lunch, there isn't many people that I can have an adult conversation with." Tina asked with a friendly smile.**

"**Sure uptown," Tasha replied with a name that she had given her when Tina tried to drive her motorcycle back when times were much better for the officer.**

"**You pick the place and I will come. I'll show you I'm not so uptown." Tina joked back as Tasha headed for the back with a tense smile on her face.**

"**Hey you just missed Tasha." Jenny shouted as Alice looked out the window and saw the bike speeding off.**

"**It looks like I missed a lot." Alice said and looked at Bette.**

"**Dramarama," Max said and sighed heavily.**

"**So is Clea your girlfriend now?" Shane asked as some girl sat down beside her.**

"**No," Alice replied quietly and got a drink.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"**Hey there," Tasha said as she met Tina outside a small restaurant on her side of town. "I like the duds," she added and laughed.**

"**I can't come down here all dressed up. I'd look out of place and I so did not mean that in a bad way at all." Tina said and Tasha smiled. "I want to fit in rather then stick out like a sor thumb is all."**

"**I know what you meant uptown." Tasha said and walked in the restaurant with Tina.**

"**Hey Williams," a huskily built woman said and eyed Tina.**

"**Hey Char," Tasha said and took hold of Tina's hand, which gave Tina the notion that this woman was bad news.**

"**Y'all come sit with us." Another woman replied and Tasha walked Tina to the table.**

"**Jazz, this is Tina Kennard, this is Jazz and Teresa." Tasha introduced Tina to her friends.**

"**Hi," Tina said with a bright smile and Tasha couldn't help but wish this was Alice. Alice never was accepting of her friends and Tasha knew she never would be.**

**The four women chatted happily for twenty minutes or so, Tina gave the couple her autograph and then they excused themselves as they had finished eating. "You're friends are great." Tina said and smiled. "I bet that I could make a movie with the stories that the one was telling if I had someone to write it down."**

"**Shit girl, you could make all kinds of movies up in here." Tasha said as their food was delivered. "This place is full of tragedy, oppression, heartache and a little love dust scattered in the mix."**

"**I think that I could base a documentary on you Tasha if you would let me." Tina said sincerely and garnered a jovial laugh from Tasha.**

"**Is that why you wanted to have lunch with me uptown?" Tasha asked and refilled her glass.**

"**No not at all," Tina said quickly. She felt bad because she didn't want Tasha to think such a thing. "It's just that you got my brain thinking film."**

"**Are you going to that poker game?" Tina asked and refilled her own glass.**

"**Yeah, you?" Tasha asked and got ready to pay. She was used to having Alice object when she tried to pay but found that Tina did not.**

"**I don't know how to play." Tina admitted.**

"**Maybe I can teach you," Tasha said as the two stood up to leave.**

"**Oh Alice I am so glad that you came without that wench Clea." Helena said and hugged her friend. "Tell me what went down in the end with you and Tasha?"**

"**I just wanted to be single I guess." Alice said, with uncertainty oozing in her voice.**

"**You know the phrase," Papi said as she came bounding in with her friends.**

"**Licker in the front, poker in the rear." Alice and Helena said together and they all laughed.**

"**Is Kit comin'?" Papi asked and looked around the room.**

"**I'm here," Kit chimed in and hugged Papi.**

"**This oughtta be good." Shane mumbled and sat down next to Nikki.**

"**I cannot believe that you brought her!" Alice said in disgust, as Tina and Tasha walked in.**

"**Good God in heaven!" Helena exclaimed.**

"**She taught me the ropes and I'm here to play cards," Tina said and flashed Alice a tentative smile.**

"**She's a good card player," Alice commented and sent Clea a text message, as Max and Jenny came in.**

"**Where's Bette?" Kit asked in wonderment as drinks were passed around.**

"**She's gone to visit Jodi." Tina said dryly.**

"**That chick has some fucked up hold over Bette." Jenny commented and guzzled a drink.**

"**Just like you have a hold over me." Nikki offered but got no response from Jenny.**

"**All right let's play some cards!" Helena shouted in hopes of keeping the evening light.**

"**I didn't know that she was going to be here," Tina whispered and placed her bet.**

"**I'm cool," Tasha said and retained her stone-faced army look well.**

**As the game continued onward in a lively fashion, Nikki leaned over to Jenny. "Jenny please, we were splitsville, and you wouldn't talk to me. She kept pushing me into not caring and it just happened. I love you so much, please forgive me."**

"**Max did you hear something?" Jenny asked as she folded her hand to Tina, who seemed to have the hot streak of the moment.**

"**Not a word," Max echoed and squeezed her friend's hand in a showing of support.**

"**Hey uptown, I'm gonna go have a smoke so take it easy wit the bluffing." Tasha whispered and got up to go outside.**

**Alice had hardly spoke a word all evening, her ex girlfriend looked great physically and seemed to be enjoying herself in the company of Tina Kennard of all people. She knew that the split was her fault but couldn't bring herself to do anything about it due to the mess her life had grown to be since she pushed Tasha out of it.**

"**Move your ass out that door, it's your opening." Helena whispered, as Clea was being distracted by some fashion talk.**

"**I am the one who broke it off so why would I want to go after her again?" Alice questioned but knew that Helena knew her all to well.**

"**Stop with the bullshit Alice and get it together girl." Kit chimed in in a whispered tone.**

"**Forget it," Alice spoke back and went all in, which caused a fury of quick folds around the table. All the while, all she could wonder was if Tina came with Tasha and would leave with her too.**

**Meanwhile, Tasha stood outside alone and smoked her cigarette. As she did so, her mind drifted back to a time when she gave up her life's dream for love and then said love kicked her to the ground. She wondered what she would be doing right now if she would have taken Colonel Davis up on her deal. She knew that she would be in Iraq fighting some senseless battle for a idiotic president but would do it proudly. No matter how senseless the battles were, they freed a ton of people that would otherwise be in captivity still. Though she felt no resentment toward Alice for her decision, as it was her decision in the end, she felt resentment towards her government. If only they knew how many gay and lesbian people gave up their lives for this country and how many stayed closeted and miserable for their entire military career to uphold the code of conduct. If only they valued a life of a gay or lesbian the same as they did a heterosexual, none of this would happen. It was at that moment that she came to her decision.**

**She walked back into the poker game with a different look on her face, one of purpose and courage. Alice noticed it right away as she was standing up to go outside to speak with Tasha, a little to late. "Hey uptown, you wanna do that documentary?"**

**Tina folded her hand quickly and stood up. "Really?" She questioned and threw her arms around the former captain, garnering stares from everyone else in the room.**

"**Yeah really," Tasha said with a smile.**

"**You're on downtown," Tina said and Tasha laughed heartily.**

"**I like the name," she said and got another drink.**

"**What the fuck is going on?" Shane questioned Alice in a hushed tone.**

"**I bet I find out via Bette." Alice said with a little too much anger in her voice.**

**As the night wound down, with several uncomfortable people, everyone got ready to leave. "Thank you for the lovely evening Helena, we must do this again." Clea said and planted a big kiss on Alice in front of Tasha, who showed no emotion whatsoever.**

"**Yes I had a blast," Cindy said as she pocketed her share of the winnings. She and Tina ended up the big winners.**

**Tina took it upon herself to make the next move on the chess board and hooked her arm in Tasha's. "Well I'm ready for a nice slow ride on that hog of yours officer Williams."**

**As Kit's mouth dropped to the floor, Max dropped Jenny's purse and Alice looked shocked, Tasha and Tina walked out. "I'm sorry Tasha. I know that you aren't into drama but she did that on purpose. Nobody messes with Tina Kennard's friends like that."**

"**You're all right uptown," Tasha said and started the bike.**

**As she pulled into Tina's driveway and assisted her off the bike, she smiled. "Hey, I had fun tonight and please explain this to Bette. I don't want to stir up shit with you two." Tasha said as she walked Tina to the door.**

"**Bette stirred it up and cooked it when she flew to New York. I know we love each other but it's just so crazy." Tina said and unlocked her door. "You want to come in for a drink and maybe kick around how we are going to pull this documentary-movie off? I think that you could play yourself. You have the look that women like."**

**Tasha laughed and Followed Tina inside. "I think you smoked something in there while I was out havin' a cigarette."**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Helena rolled over in bed and opened her eyes when she felt Cindy laying back down. "Is it time to get up?"**

"**Actually, yes because you have several appointments today for the foundation. Schecter called me and said that she was driving by Tina's this morning and noticed Tasha's bike still there."**

**Helena's eyes popped all the way open at that statement. "Well I'm certain it's innocent. Tasha doesn't strike me as the type to get into some frivolous sex act and she loathes drama."**

"**They seem to have hit it off well at the game last night." Cindy added and stretched lazily.**

"**Indeed," Helena said thoughtfully and began to worry for her friend. "I must call Papi so that she can quill the flame before Schecter starts a fire." Helena added, kissed her girlfriend and got up from the bed. "To make matters worse, Tina already thinks that Bette and I had a romp in the sheets. Bette said that she tried to explain that it was a business venture but Tina wouldn't listen."**

"**Well with Bette's behavior of late," Cindy said thoughtfully. "Who can blame her?" She added and returned the kiss. "No matter what happens with all your friends, I am glad that you helped me get out of the mess I was in. It feels good to be my own person."**

**Tasha opened and closed her eyes twice before she realized that she was on Tina's sofa. "Hello?" She said groggily into her cell phone.**

"**Williams, Helena just called me and said that Schecter saw your bike at Tina's." Came Papi's chipper voice.**

**Fuck, she's gonna blow this all out of proportion." Tasha said, thanked Papi and closed her phone.**

"**What's up?" Tina asked and sat down a hot cup of coffee.**

"**Jenny saw my bike here this morning." Tasha said, rubbed her eyes and sipped her coffee.**

"**Oh that's just great," Tina said in a disdainful tone of voice. "Alice will put you on my damn chart for spite."**

"**Yeah I know she will." Tasha said and looked at her watch. "I hate to drink this and run but I've got to get ready for work."**

"**May as well grab a shower here since you are here and have been spotted by the only radar that can compete with Alice's." Tina said in an effort to make light of the situation.**

"**Yeah that'll save me some time, thanks." Tasha said and Tina walked with her to show her where things were.**

**Later that afternoon, Kit was alone at the Planet. She was looking at a picture of Angelica and remembering what her fury had almost caused. As a tear escaped down her cheek, someone tapped her on the shoulder. "Is something wrong with the little one?" Papi asked and pointed at the picture that Kit was clutching.**

"**No," Kit said and knew that she had to tell someone what she had almost done. She had once vowed to keep it a secret but it was eating her alive. She didn't understand how a human being could allow themselves to get so bent out of shape over a material possession that they would think of committing murder. And in turn, almost causing a child's death.**

**Papi, I'm a big failure, a careless pathetic failure." Kit said and broke down into sobs.**

**After Kit had finished explaining the sordid mess to Papi, Papi gave her a firm hug and wiped her tears. "Number one thing is you not gonna drink and number two, you can call me Eva." Papi said and hugged the broken woman. "Look, the important thing is that child stopped you from ruining your life Kit. I mean it had to be a scary thing what you saw and all but you gotta look at the good thing it accomplished."**

"**I thought about calling the police and turning myself in." Kit said and sipped her tea.**

"**You can't do that man, that's crazy. Everybody came out on top. You learned a lesson and the baby is okay." Papi said emphatically. "Look man, I might joke around a lot but you need a friend. One that won't rat you out or judge you, you know? I'm just that kind of person."**

"**Can I get some service here?" Jenny asked loudly from across the room.**

"**Now she's gonna wanna know what's wrong with me. She's already stirred up the shit today from what I heard from Bette." Kit sighed and stood up.**

"**Look, tell her I broke your heart or something' and satisfy her curiosity." Papi offered and got herself a drink. "Hey, put yourself together and I'll handle things for a few." She went around to Jenny as Kit smiled.**

"**So how's it goin' there Jen?" Papi asked and gave her a look.**

"**Oh it could be better," Jenny answered dryly as Papi took her order.**

"**Listen, you leave my girl Tasha out of your scandalous rumor line or it will be goin' a lot worse? Can you dig it?" Papi asked and received a nod from Jenny. She didn't figure that her idle threat would stop the woman but she had to put it out there because she knew that Tasha would have her back in a case like this.**

"**Excuse me," a familiar looking woman said. "I talked with a woman a couple times awhile back and wanted to look her up."**

"**Of course you did," Jenny said sarcastically. "This is one of the reasons that Alice and Tasha split I bet."**

"**Hey, you sayin' that Tasha did somethin' with this chick?" Papi asked and Kit smiled at her.**

"**Chill out Papi," Tasha said and looked at the woman, as she walked in the door. "I never done a thing with her but talk."**

"**Not because I wasn't interested," the woman said with a smile as Tina walked in with an angry look on her face.**

"**Back off," Tina said, "if she wanted you she would have had you."**

"**That's right," Tasha agreed, laughed, looked at the woman apologetically and walked to a table with Tina. "What's got you so riled up this afternoon uptown?"**

"**Jenny wasted no time in contacting Bette, who left me a nasty ultimatum to which I told her to go fuck herself and whomever she chooses in New York if she wants." Tina added and looked angrily at Jenny. "Oh, Alice contacted her to question the stability of our relationship also. It appears that she is still interested in the happenings of your life."**

"**Wanme talk to Bette?" Tasha asked as their cokes were sat down. "Alice fucked it up, not me."**

"**Oh I'm sure that she will try to get in your face and I'm sorry in advance." Tina replied and sipped her drink.**

"**I'm not afraid of Bette. We did nothing wrong so it's cool. Maybe I can help convince her that she has a great lady waiting very impatiently for her to get her shit together." Tasha said and flashed an all to infrequent smile.**

**As Tina finished speaking, Alice walked in. "Oh, is she still a touchy subject?"**

"**I still don't understand it all. I don't know where I went wrong and she won't speak to me." Tasha said and glanced at Alice. "I guess I need to forget it and move on. She says it's because we're too different but I don't know."**

"**Don't give up on Alice if you love her. All the others did, even Dana to a certain extent." Tina said thoughtfully as Alice ordered and walked towards the two women. "Listen, I have a meeting with Helena this afternoon to see if she will be the financial backer of our project and my production company wants to meet you."**

"**Am I gonna hafta dress up?" Tasha questioned with laughter in her voice.**

"**Yes and I think that you can handle that on your own." Tina said playfully.**

**Tasha almost responded with a, that's no fun, comment because she felt at ease to joke around in front of Tina but thought better of it. "Yeah I think I can do that. Listen, I'm gonna have a smoke outside and then will come back and have a drink before I go catch some assholes." Tasha said and got up.**

"**So is that why you didn't think they belonged together? You wanted to hit on Tina?" Alice asked angrily and looked at Tasha.**

"**I never said they don't belong together Alice. I said I can't imagine them together, which is simply because I never saw them together." Tasha replied calmly. "Don't fuck with me man. You are the one who wanted to cheat, not me." She turned and walked out the door.**

"**Girl, you're gonna lose any chance if you don't do somethin' to show her a sign." Kit whispered to Alice, who was watching Tasha.**

"**Clea and I get along just swell." Alice replied stubbornly.**

"**And my ass is white," Kit retorted sarcastically as both women looked towards the door where Clea was standing in front of Tasha just outside it. "Alice, Tasha does not deserve whatever that bitch is going to say to her." Kit added adamantly as Alice stood up.**

"**I want you to stop sending my lady messages," Clea was saying as Alice, Tina, Jenny, Papi and Kit listened by the window.**

"**Whatcha gonna do about it?" Tasha smirked, it was true that she was not into drama but there was no way some fashion designer was going to push her around. She had too much downtown pride for that.**

"**Doesn't it make you feel good to know that probably the last time you slept with her, I was on her mind?" Clea threw the words at the officer that she was certain would be a stinging blow, as the group of friends looked towards Alice to see if she was going to defend Tasha.**

"**You threw away your military career for her, how stupid can you be?" Clea then added to rub salt in the wounds. "Did you really think that a woman like her would stay with someone like you?"**

"**Alice girl, have you gone stark raving mad?" Kit asked and put a hand on Papi to stop her from going out there and ripping Clea apart from limb to limb, as Tina stepped out of the club and stood next to her friend for a showing of moral support.**

"**Hey," Tina began to speak. "While you were over here spreading your fashion garbage around, this woman was over in Iraq trying to protect us from another 9/11! She was over in Iraq dragging someone's dying brother out of the fighting zone because she was so dedicated that she refused to save her own life first and leave a dying soldier behind. Then she came back over here and took a stand for who she was, a lesbian patriot so go fuck yourself biotch! Now she's on the streets of LA trying to protect bitches like you from getting hurt. What the hell have you ever stood up for?"**

"**Alice must be right, you want to bed her ex now!" Clea snapped and raised her hand towards Tina but Tasha jumped in front of her and got punched.**

"**Do you realize how much trouble you could get into for striking a police officer?" Tasha asked calmly. "You're lucky I don't play vengeful games, nor do I chase after my exes like a lovesick puppy." She added as Kit looked around at all her friends.**

"**Tina," Tasha said and moved away from her. "I need to get back to work. Gimme a call when you want me to meet your bosses."**

"**Tasha," Alice said and then Clea took hold of her arm.**

"**Let's go Alice, your friends are a bore and we will be getting new ones." Clea said and smiled at Alice.**

"**Save it Alice," Tasha said and got on her bike. "I don't need your pity." She waved at everyone and drove off.**

"**I think that you really fucked it up this time Alice," Max said and looked at the ground.**

"**Shut up Max," Alice said and followed Clea away from the club.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

As Tasha sat in her apartment looking at Alice's chart, the phone rang. "Hey it's Tina. Listen, Helena is going to fund the project so that we don't have to be constrained by a television network budget. Now I just have to get a scribe and start putting it all together."

"Okay, that sounds great. Did you return Bette's call?" Tasha asked, as she looked the chart over again.

"She didn't answer so I don't know what gives. I love her but am so tired of this roller coaster." Tina added in a frustrated tone. "I really believe that she thinks you and I have done more then become good friends."

"I do consider you a good friend Tina and I'm there for you same as you were me today." Tasha said and opened another beer.

"Papi tells me that you are the best person ever to have in my corner," Tina said and they both laughed.

"I won't fuck you over for sure." Tasha added and looked at the chart again. "I gotta say though, and I feel that I can be honest with you without causing trouble, if we had met under different circumstances I'd take you out. Bette is being foolish cause you are a great person."

Tina smiled and knew that Tasha was being fully honest. "Well since we're being honest here, I am so glad that you have a code of morals that you adhere to. Because that laugh and smile would melt any will power I had right away." Tina said and Tasha laughed. "Honestly Tasha, it feels good to have someone in my corner. They all, but Alice, who likes us both, flock to Bette for some reason."

"Well I'm there for ya uptown. You've been good to me," Tasha said and finished her beer.

"Are you going to the club?" Tina asked in a casual tone of voice.

"Na, figured that I'd hang here or go find my friends. Not so much drama with them, no offense meant." Tasha added and opened another beer. The truth was, she'd been drinking more since her split with Alice and knew that she needed to stop.

"None taken," Tina said and smiled. "I might be giving you a call for directions if Bette doesn't return my call or I get bored." She added and they hung up.

As Tasha glanced at the chart once more and did not see Clea's name, a knock at the door interrupted her. She opened it to find Bette standing there, "Alice give you directions?"

"Yes," Bette said with a serious look on her face. "I want to know what is going on with you and Tina?"

"I guess she wanted to hang with someone while she waited on you. She's working on putting together a documentary and has been a good friend is all. Look, I'm not into drama and sure as hell ain't getting' in the middle of a relationship." Tasha said and opened another beer.

"Well I just wanted to make certain that we're clear on a few things." Bette started to speak but Tasha cut her off.

"I got nothin' to be clear on with you. Tina is the one you need to talk with man. She loves you but why you runnin' off to see that chick that made you look like shit? Don't answer me that question but answer it to Tina." Tasha said and turned away from Bette to dismiss her. The look on Bette's face showed that she knew Tasha was right and that she'd finally met her match. Bette was used to being in control of everything right down to the flow of conversation but not this time.

"It was business," she said quietly and left the apartment.

Tasha stood and looked out the window for what seemed an eternity and then got on her bike. As she drove aimlessly, she wished that she could get Alice out of her head. She wished that she could get the frequent scenes from Iraq out of her dreams and most of all, wished that someone could accept her for who she was, besides a woman who loved someone else.

- - - - - - -

"Clea, I can't get into that." Alice said as the two women stood outside a club. "I just want to chill and have a good time. Serious isn't for me."

"You were all for getting serious with that black bitch. You and I were fine till you saw her again so what gives?" Clea asked angrily.

"Nothing gives. Maybe I wanted to work it out with her rather than be the coward that I am." Alice said and the woman raised her hand.

"Hey!" A voice came out of nowhere and Clea found herself on the ground with Alice looking into Tasha's face. "What the fuck is this?"

"None of your business," Clea spat and got back up with rage on her face.

"Clea don't she'll…" it was too late, the macho side came out in Clea but she quickly found herself back on the ground.

"Alice, get on the bike." Tasha said in a soft yet authoritative voice.

"She isn't taking orders from you anymore!" Clea shouted and started to get back up.

"Keep your ass down on that ground if you know what's good for it!" Tasha shouted. "Get on the bike Alice." She said again and Alice acquiesced.

Before Clea could make another move, Tasha jumped on the bike and sped off. "What's up with that shit Alice?" She asked as she pulled into her apartment.

"Tasha I…" Alice looked at the ground as Tasha unlocked the door. "I don't know what happened with us and I was trying to explain this to Clea. She wigged out on me and tried to hit me."

"I know what happened Alice," Tasha said and put her keys down. "You tried hard to get me to communicate but you ran rather than communicate." She handed Alice a beer. "It's the strongest thing I have and figured you could use one."

"Tasha, I wanted to defend you at the club but Tina beat me to it plus…" Alice looked back down at the floor.

"Plus you're scared of her?" Tasha asked and shut the ringing phone off.

"Plus I'm a coward Tasha. We have so many differences and then I wanted to be with you all the time, wanted to pick your job, wanted to pick the place to live and it all scared me. I was afraid I was becoming that neurotic person that Dana ran from and so I ran first." The tears spilled down Alice's face as she finally let out her feelings.

"You were doing everything I wanted to keep me happy, I mean I was a real bitch by not wanting to get to know your friends and getting you to do the things I wanted to do. I didn't bent to you at all Tasha and it wasn't fair." Alice continued speaking, as Tasha pulled her close and wiped the tears from her face. "No matter how stupid I got, you didn't run like the others did and then I realized something. There was no longer anything stopping us from making a real go of it. You cleared that up too and not even Dana, God rest her beautiful soul, did that. Lara was always in the picture somewhere."

"You gave yourself fully to me and nobody truly has done that. So I was afraid to give myself fully because the last time I tried it, I gave too much and scared Dana away." Alice finished speaking, as Tasha moved her into her lap.

"Alice, look at me. I'm not Dana and I do know that you loved her very deeply. I'm sorry that she couldn't handle clingie Alice and obviously insecure Alice. But you have to be glad that she let you in to help her in the end, she knew who she could count on when the chips were down, no matter what." Tasha kissed the relaxing woman on the forehead before she continued. "I saw what this military thing was doing to you and I knew that I had to make a choice. I had to decide to let you teach me how to be out and proud or let you go because you didn't deserve to live like that. I chose you Alice because you made me not want to live like that either. You made me want to be proud of the love that I felt for a beautiful woman, whose beauty runs on the inside and out."

"I know that we have a lot of differences but isn't that what attracted us in the first place?" Tasha asked, as Alice looked into her eyes. "It's the differences that give us things to debate and the things that we have in common give us something to build on."

"Tasha, I couldn't see the common things anymore because I let the differences smother me." Alice said honestly and frowned.

"Well, we both like taking nice walks on the beach, riding my bike, cuddling and playful bantering. We both are passionate about the things that we believe in and I don't mind the clingie side of you at all. We both like playing with ice and," Tasha placed a gentle kiss on Alice's face, which had stretched into a smile at the mention of ice. "I think we both really like that."

"The biggest thing that I forgot is that no matter what, we both are in love," Alice said quietly and returned the kiss.

"Yeah and I don't even mind that annoying side of you who doesn't know how to stop talking when I'm trying to get you otherwise occupied." Tasha said and the kissing became mutual and aggressive.

"Thank you for not fully leaving me Tasha. You don't know how much that meant to me." Alice said softly, as Tasha began to massage her tense shoulders. "Thank you for being just as stubborn as I am on the things that are really important like where we live and…" Alice looked up into Tasha's smiling eyes. "I'm doing it again aren't I."

"It's music to my ears," Tasha said in a low voice and began kissing a trail around Alice's neck, before stopping. "

Alice looked at her questioningly, as Tasha pulled away. "Look, you gotta know that I wanna be with you more then anything Alice. I gotta know that you want to be in this and not just hurtin' over what that ass did to you tonight. I can't open myself up fully until I know that. You up with that?"

"You know what scared me most Tasha?" Alice said and allowed the tears to flow down her face once again. "If you came into my life before Dana died, I would have helped her. I would not have got myself caught up in this triangle because I would have loved you. You take away everything that can come between us and she never did. I never thought that I could love someone like I did Dana but I'm thinking that I found someone that I am in love with more, even though I love her deeply. Do you understand that?"

"You don't know how to deal with stability?" Tasha asked and wiped the tears from Alice's face.

"I know that Dana loved me but she loved someone else. I felt that I never had her completely. I never had anything completely Tasha but you and it scared me. I just knew something was going to ruin it and so I ruined it first." Alice finished speaking, as Tasha pulled her firmly into her arms.

"You didn't ruin it baby." She said in a low husky voice that made Alice want her every time she heard it. "You just stalled it. It just needs a little oil to get it goin' again like my bike sometimes does." Tasha said and kissed Alice passionately.

Alice instinctively returned the kisses with the feeling that nothing had ever been so right in her life. She couldn't believe how stupid she was to almost let this woman go and thanked God that Tasha didn't leave her truly like others had. "Tasha," Alice brought Tasha out of her task of massaging Alice's breasts.

"What?" Tasha asked and stopped kissing her lover with a smile on her face and laughter in her voice.

"Did you read my chart?" Alice had just thought of that and wanted Tasha to know that she hadn't slept with Clea.

Tasha looked at her in disbelief mixed with amusement. "Man, only you would ask a question like that at a time like this." Tasha replied and kissed Alice more passionately. "Yes I saw the chart Alice. Now shut up so we can have some make up fun."

"You didn't say fuck this time." Alice commented and garnered a frustrated look from Tasha.

"Cause it's not fucking anymore Alice. I love you not lust for you." Tasha said softly and began a slow sensuous trail of kisses down Alice's stomach.

"I love you too Tasha." Alice murmured and began caressing Tasha's breasts.

- - - - - -

As Tina, Kit, Jenny and Bette sat at the club having breakfast, Alice walked in with the markings of a romp in the sheets visible on her neck. "Oh my God you did it!" Tina hissed and stood up before Bette could stop her. "Alice, can't you see that she loves you and now you go and finally sleep with that tramp!"

"Tina stay out of it." Bette prodded but her girlfriend just glanced at her and shook her head.

"Tina," Alice began but the blonde was in her face yelling.

"Hey uptown, it's cool. We're fixin' things back up." Tasha said, smiled at her friend and then took Alice by the hand.

"Oh god, I am so sorry Alice." Tina said and dropped her face towards the floor.

"It's okay," Alice said and smiled. "At least someone is smart enough to stick up for who is in the right." She added and glanced at Shane who was coming through the door.

"Listen, as far as a writer for the documentary goes," Tina looked at Tasha.

"Fuck no," she looked at Jenny. "She ain't butcherin' my experiences into one of those trashy tales of smut."

Alice looked at Tasha, shocked by her boldness. "Maybe she's reformed?" Alice questioned with doubt in her voice.

"No thanks," Tasha said. "I'd rather you do it."

Alice's face broke into a huge smile. She, after all, was the journalist of the two and had been looking for an excuse to get out from under The Look. "That's another thing," she began speaking as Kit sat coffee down for them. "I'm quitting that show because I think that it helped make me into a monster because I don't think that your place is a shit hole and actually I'd like to live down there with you."

"Alice, drink your coffee." Tasha said and laughed heartily, as Alice looked dumbstruck at the notion of her friends being accidentally told their private quarrels because of her tendency to babble.

"Sounds good to me." She said, kissed Tasha and then sat on her lap. "I love being able to do this anywhere I want."

end


End file.
